Coach prepares for deployment to Iraq as captain in Arkansas National GuardBy Quinton BagleySports Editor

Another night of high school basketball in the Arkansas River Valley and Hector Gymnasium is packed as the Wildcats prepare for a 4AAA Conference showdown. The stands are filled with students, fans and family of each player. As the game gets underway, the squeak of the sneakers and the shrill of the whistle are heard above the cheering crowd. The smell of fresh popcorn from the concession stand drifts through the air.

Life is good this particular night in the northern Pope County community, but 11,000 miles away, things aren't so carefree.

The sounds of road-side bombs exploding and the cries of a mother whose child has been killed by a suicide bomber fills the air in this city. The scent of death and destruction mingle with the sulfuric smell of nearby oil wells. There are no large crowds for fear of an attack by some radical militant group. There is not much happiness in this city or the country either. Though the people are liberated, things are far from safe in Iraq.

Last year, DeWitt native Lyn Alexander was hired as the head boys basketball coach at Hector. The Wildcats had a successful year and advanced to the regional tournament in March. After Hector's season ended, Alexander was excited about the prospects of the 2007-08 season, but as March turned to April, those plans were put on hold when Alexander got a call from Uncle Sam.

"I was called up to active duty in April," said Alexander, who holds the rank of captain is commander of Company G in the 1-206th Field Artillery Unit of the Arkansas National Guard in Russellville. "We have been preparing to head to Iraq after the first of the year. We will leave the first week in January and go to Camp Shelby in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, for two months of training. In March, we will deploy to Iraq."

As in any situation in which the military is involved, Alexander and his men will be in a dangerous situation. Alexander said the seriousness of the mission has resulted in many restless nights.

"Our mission in Iraq is a convoy security detail. Basically, we will be protecting supply trucks," Alexander said. "That is what we have really been focusing on with our warrior training. This is a dangerous mission. I have lost lots of sleep in the last two months. When you are responsible for 131 people, that is a lot of pressure. You want to get them back to their families."

Alexander said he did not know when the company would return home, but said they were scheduled for a year-long tour.

"It is supposed to be a 12-month tour starting in January. We are looking to come back in January or February of 2009," Alexander said. "But that could change, that is just a target date. The last time this unit was in Iraq, they spent 18 months over there."

This will be Alexander's first tour overseas. He said while he was nervous, there was a lot of support from men in the company.

"In all my time in the guard, I haven't been overseas. That was something I wanted to do. I didn't want to look back 20 years down the road and think I didn't do my part and that I didn't serve my country to the best of my ability. We have a lot of veterans in the company who have been to Iraq before, but it is the first time for me," Alexander said. "I am learning as much from them as they are from me."

Alexander said there were lots of similarities in preparing to go to Iraq as there are in basketball.

"You have to prepare for what you have to do. You have to know every little detail," Alexander said. "Just like in basketball, you are teaching life skills. You are teaching men how to be better soldiers, citizens and people."

With the impending departure, Alexander said he is amazed at the amount of support he and the troops have received from Russellville and the rest of the River Valley.

"The community here in Russellville has been very supportive. They are always saying kind words when they see us out in the community and in uniform," Alexander said. "Pottsville school has adopted our company. While we are away, they will send us letters and so forth. For some of these guys, that will be the only mail they will get."

Dreams of being a soldier

Serving in the military is something Alexander said he always wanted to do - so was coaching.

"As long as I have wanted to be a coach, I have wanted to be in the military. I have wanted to serve my country and do my part. I have been a soldier for 14 years and a coach for 12." Alexander said. "My grandpa served in the Korean War. He is a big part in why I wanted to serve."

During his time in the Guard, Alexander said he has learned to appreciate the comforts we enjoy in the United States as well as life in general.

"I think people take life for granted," Alexander said. "I don't think people realize what these soldiers or any soldier sacrifices to serve their country."

Life after Iraq

Alexander said he will go back to coaching the Wildcats when his tour is through, but added there's aggravation of not being able to continue last season's success.

"My plan is to go back to work at the school sometime in the spring semester after I get home," Alexander said. "I have to admit I have been a little frustrated. I thought we laid a good foundation. We had a pretty good junior high team last year, and I had high hopes for the current season. I look forward to getting back to coaching. Coach [Jim] Simmons is doing a good job with the kids. We have a lot of the same philosophies."